Lucky’s Doughnuts (@ 49th Parallel on Main) — Above average doughnuts

Finding these doughnuts was merely an accident. My sister S and I were looking for a coffee shop for a quick fix on New Years Day. S has brought me to 49th Parallel Coffee Roosters in Kitsilano in the past. We thought we’d try the new shop on Main St. to compare.

The lineup inside the shop was pretty long. I was surprised because Starbucks was also opened at the other end of the block, and wasn’t as packed at the front entrance like this establishment. Although we only came for a couple of mochas, there was no way of ignoring the big doughnut display behind the people in front of us. They had flavours I’d hoped to grab at Voodoo’s in Portland a year ago, particularly the bacon doughnuts, which I truly think is an indicator of a serious doughnut seller. Unfortunately, I wasn’t in the mood for bacon, so S and I got 3 others.

Salted Caramel Old Fashion Doughnut

Rate: 4/5

I got the Salted Caramel Old Fashioned doughnut. I was expecting a dense old fashioned doughnut, but this was a bit softer than that. The softer texture suggests to me that these are fresh and worth the wait compared to the doughnuts at a good ‘ol Canadian chain we all know…. The real winner in this donut is the salted caramel that has a thick candy texture to it. It kept sticking to my teeth while I was eating, but it was all part of the fun eating it.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Doughnut

Rate: 4.5/5

S picked the Peanut Butter and Jelly doughnut. This doughnut made us understand there is huge thought put into these doughnuts. The doughnut had the texture and taste of Wonder Bread! How thoughtful is that?! There was no peanut butter inside, just a good amount of grape jelly. Sprinkled peanuts on top was just enough to bring a complementary balance to the jelly. Other than the thin layer of glaze on the outside of the doughnut, it was seriously a Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwich.

Chocolate Old Fashioned Donut

Rate: 3/5

We shared the Chocolate Old Fashioned Donut. It was sweet, but not from the chocolate doughnut itself. The doughnut was unsweetened. S compared it to an unsweetened brownie. It worked well with the thin glaze and sprinkled chocolate shavings that gave it its glitz and sugary chocolate taste. It was okay. It definitely wasn’t as inventive like the other 2 we tried.

49th Parallel Coffee Roosters Mocha

Rate: 3.5/5

As for the mochas, we had to wait awhile because of the backup of orders at the espresso bar. I’m such a sucker for coffee art. I watched in awe as the barista poured the milk over the top with such deft skill! This was a different mocha…well, different from the mocha you’d get down the block, from a popular chain you may have heard of…. It’s not sweet, but definitely has a consistent cocoa taste throughout. Think of it as the 80% fine dark chocolate compared to the Hershey’s bar you’ll get at your favourite fast coffee chain. If I were to be honest, I personally prefer the “Hershey’s bar” versions.

Recommendation: Come here to treat yourself! There’s a reason it’s tough to find a seat here. If you see a winding line up, it’s worth the wait. These doughnuts are not your ordinary doughnuts. There’s so much thought put into how they look and how they taste. Their names fit their taste profiles to the ‘T’ (for the most part). If you’re looking for place to snack on junk food with a little class, this is the place.